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QPR manager Julien Stéphan says he plans to put out his "best team" when Rangers visit the London Olympic Stadium this weekend in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.

With up to 9,000 travelling supporters set to descend upon Stratford this weekend, this weekend's tie could have the feel of a home fixture for the Championship outfit.




And with Rangers currently 11th in the table but only three points below the play-off spots, Stéphan believes he will be able to field his strongest possible side in an attempt to heap further misery upon Nuno Santo's Hammers.

"It will be a great moment because it's a big stadium, a lot of people, 9,000 (QPR fans) in the stands," the French coach said during his pre-match press conference. "I think it's an amazing feeling; it will be the first time that I will play away with 9,000 fans in the stands.

"I had the first great experience in the Europa League with Rennes when we played against Arsenal, I think it was 6,000 - but now it's 9,000 for an FA Cup game. So it’s very, very exciting.

"That's why it's very important for us to give everything and to put our best team on the pitch, because we need a very good performance for them, to live a good moment with them and to share something with them at the end of the game."

And even though the Hammers are struggling in the Premier League presently, without w in in their last 10 outings, Stéphan is under no illusion as to the size of the task at hand.




"It's a difficult draw,” he conceded. "We play away against a Premier League team, but we have to enjoy the moment and give everything for the fans. The players want to play against the best teams.

"West Ham, even if they're struggling in the Premier League, are one of the best teams in the country with very strong players – [Lucas] Paqueta, [Jarrod] Bowen and [Tomas] Soucek, for example. They all play for their national teams so that means a lot in terms of quality.

"They are seven points below Nottingham Forest and they probably need to create the momentum so we can imagine that they will put their best team out. But, to be honest, I prefer staying focused on our players, our dressing room and how we want to play this game."

And it's a tie from which Stéphan believes "strong memories" can be made. "This is an opportunity to create some memories and strong moments with the players and with the fans," he continued.

"I want to put the best team on the pitch because it's important to have continuity. The main challenge at the beginning of the game is to put the best team, what we consider the best team, on the pitch in order to do the best performance and try to have the best result at the end."

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